Description
RANI delves into stories that are often unheard and unwritten – of brown women in the corners of rooms, hidden behind photograph frames, buried beneath the skin, in the borrowed trauma-blood from generations past and present. It is a manifesto on how to turn your body into a forest fire; into a Goddess with tiger skin.
A deftly-woven narrative of the journey that many women have had to take; from the darkness of trauma to reconnecting with raw wildness, and ending with strength, reclamation and joy. This debut collection from Neelam boldly explores colonisation, intrusion, trauma, sexual assault, racism, healing, power and growing towards the light.
Utterly compelling…her poetry is emotive and humorous, full of rhythmic and tonal surprises. She is one to watch.
– Lydia McCutcheon, Canterbury Culture
Her work is always striking, thoughtful, innovative and plural.
– Joelle Taylor, Poet, Playwright, Author & Founder of SLAMbassadors, TS Eliot Prize winner.
Her voice is exactly what power in protest and the power of women is about.
– Power of Women Festival
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neelam Saredia-Brayley is an award-winning poet, captivating audiences for the past decade. Warm and honest, Neelam works with illustrators, musicians and dancers, to create unique performances. In 2020 she was awarded the Apples and Snakes: Jerwood Arts | Poetry in Performance Award, and is developing her Arts Council funded project, ‘Queer Brown Skin’.
Neelam was commissioned by National Poetry Day 2021, and was selected for Midwest Video Poetry Fest 2021 and New York International Arts Festival 2021. She has featured and headlined various events including Sofar Sounds, BBC Radio Kent, 451 City, Jawdance, Greenbelt, Marlowe Theatre, Turner Contemporary, and Hammer & Tongue. Neelam reaches out to daughters of immigrants; mothers who stay; girls who love girls; girls who sing hurricanes away.
